Bear Down

[Duckhunter14]

Headed out on Friday morning (8/15) to scout for deer and elk. Threw in the 7 mag just in case we saw a bear. After glassing up a nice 4x4 buck with eyeguards and getting some footage and pictures through my spotter my buddy myself and my lady decided to head up the road to a spot I wanted to check for bear. A steep, dark canyon with a creek in the bottom and plenty of cover. I had seen some bear sign in there while I was shed hunting. As we got out of the truck my buddy asked if he really needed to grab his gun!? I said I was definitely taking mine; I handed the ol lady my spotter and we headed out to glass off a knob that overlooks the canyon. Just as we got to where we could start to see the bottom of the canyon I stopped them both to glass the far side and make sure we weren't overlooking something. We eased forward as we side hilled to our glassing location so that we could see all the way to the bottom of the drainage. When the old road at the bottom of the canyon came into view; my buddy and I both saw this boar lumbering down the road at the same time. We both immediately dropped to a knee and I told him to take the shot as soon as he was on him. He missed and I followed with another miss as the bear ran into some timber directly below us. The bear had no idea where we were and we were both surprised when he walked out into an open rock slide about 220 yards below us; again I told my buddy to take the first shot. He fired and missed and I dropped him in his tracks. After laying still for about 3 seconds he began to roll down the rock slide and then thrash around in the brush at the bottom of the slide. We gave him about 30 minutes (no death moan) and then eased down to him and he was stone dead. One bullet wound, high in the shoulder, took out both shoulders and dropped him in his tracks. There was no way to move him from where he was so I skinned and quartered him right there and we packed him out of that canyon on all fours. It was 5-6ft up and then sliding 3-4ft back down on the rocks (great practice for elk season). I was very thankful to have help; just goes to show you never know when you're going to score your next trophy. He's my best bear to date and I cant wait to get my half mount back from the taxi. I'll be boiling the skull this week, I cant wait to see how that turns out. I'm going to get a green score on the skull tonight also. We guessed that he weighed about 220 lbs or so, but who knows he felt more like 600 packing straight up hill. It was a great way to start the hunting season!

[pianoman9701]

Nice bear, dude. Way to go. 

[videorc]

Great story and a nice Bear!

[jasnt]

Nice bear,congrats. Good write up as well.

[Jrod79]

Very cool, congrats!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Sweeeeeeeet ...They are starting to thicken up a little now ...Couple more weeks and they will look really nice ... Good job ...nice shot too..I love those one shot shoulder shots 

[elkoholic1]

 

[h2ofowlr]

Congrats on a nice bear!

[papisjeep]

epic nice bear

[Duckhunter14]

Thanks guys! I appreciate it. Here are a few more pictures. The picture of the canyon doesnt do the steepness any justice. This was once it flattened out. But you always appreciate it more when you work for it! 

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[Ripper]

Great job. 

[wadu1]

Good job nice bear. Good story and photos right off the bat

[Machias]

Awesome, congrats!!

[troyspinetar]

 

[Wea300mag]

Nice bruin, looks like you earned it on the recovery.

[liljozie495]

 

[kevinlisa06]

Good bear! Great write up!


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[oneshot12]

nice bear !  enjoyed the write up

[Huntboy]

Congrats.

[Jgoodin514]

Nice work looks like a great bear!!!

[klikboom]

Great bruin! Is that a west sider?

[Duckhunter14]

Thanks guys. No I got him on the eastside. So I was able to get a tape on his skull and he taped out right at 17-1/2". I also got the first boil done on the skull and made myself a new drink stirrer. 

Im also cleaning up the rear claws to make a necklace for my buddy and my ol lady for helping me back that bugger out of pure hell. Any advice on finishing/polishing the claws (bone in) and polishing them up? I completely de-fleshed them and they're laid out drying now.

[The Fin]

Congrats!

[Payne]

  

[KFhunter]

hah!

Love the drink stirrer, are you going to actually use it?


going to do that myself if I take a boar this fall.  going to stir drinks with it all night long when I have a bunch of company over see if anyone knows what it is hahaha

[h20hunter]

Nice job. If you want a picture of what I think is a pretty nice looking necklace you can PM me and I'll text it to you. Also, if you have the slug I used mine as a pendant on the necklace.

[Duckhunter14]

Nice job. If you want a picture of what I think is a pretty nice looking necklace you can PM me and I'll text it to you. Also, if you have the slug I used mine as a pendant on the necklace.

Very cool. I'll shoot you a PM, thanks for the help. Yes I have the slug, but after breaking through both shoulders there wasn't a lot left!

hah!

Love the drink stirrer, are you going to actually use it?

going to do that myself if I take a boar this fall.  going to stir drinks with it all night long when I have a bunch of company over see if anyone knows what it is hahaha

Heck yes I'm going to use it! Should be quite the conversation starter at elk camp next week! 

[predkiller]

   Nice Job..

[bearkautz]

Nice looking bear ! Good job taking care of it !

[rittem1]

nice bear! Glad you had a couple sherpas to help pack him out. great memories, I am sure

[Pygmy]

Thanks guys. No I got him on the eastside. So I was able to get a tape on his skull and he taped out right at 17-1/2". I also got the first boil done on the skull and made myself a new drink stirrer. 

Im also cleaning up the rear claws to make a necklace for my buddy and my ol lady for helping me back that bugger out of pure hell. Any advice on finishing/polishing the claws (bone in) and polishing them up? I completely de-fleshed them and they're laid out drying now.

Nice bear!  There's a sticky on cleaning the claws on this bear forum: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,10019.0.html

[Taco280AI]

Sweet, great job 

[tyrant27]

Very nice bear man. Trying to get mine today after work! Looked like a tough hike up the hill.

[Duckhunter14]

Got the meat and the second boil and bleaching on the skull done. I hate leaving projects unfinished. But Ill be scouting, then deer and elk hunting the next 10 days. Ill post pictures when I finish the skull and the claw necklaces. Good luck everybody going out for the opener!